Drying device for a printing press



y 1969 E. VANDENBERG 3,446,142

DRYING DEVICE FOR A PRINTING PRESS Filed June 9, 1966 Sheet of 2 l FIG.

(9' E INVENTOR EDWARD VANDENBERG VauE 0 171,

May 27, 1969 E. VANDENBERG 3,446,142 DRYING DEVICE FOR A PRINTING PRESS Filed June 9, 1966 Sheet 3 INVENTQR F 8 EDWARD VANDENBERG flemce r Attorneys United States Patent 3,446,142 DRYING DEVICE FOR A PRINTING PRESS Edward Vandenberg, 426 Findlay St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45214 Filed June 9, 1966, Ser. No. 556,410 Int. Cl. B41f 23/04, /16

U.S. Cl. 101178 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a printing machine. More particularly, this invention relates to a printing machine having a drying device for rapidly drying ink on a web between steps of a printing process.

In continuous printing machines, a web can pass over a back-up or impression cylinder against which the web is held during printing, there being several stages of printing circumferentially arranged around the cylinder. Between stages, ink from one printing stage must be dried sulficiently to prevent smudging at a subsequent printing stage. An object of this invention is to provide a drying device which channels heated air across the face of a freshly printed web on an impression cylinder to dry the ink.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a drying device in which the air is caused to pass and repass crosswise of the web as the air is heated and as the air dries the ink.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a drying device which includes a housing having a pair of parallel channels both extending crosswise of the path of the web and in which there is a heating element in a first one of the channels which heats air and also heats the web and ink on the web as air is drawn along the first channel and a second channel along which the heated air is drawn crosswise of the web a second time to dry the ink on the web.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a label printing machine including a drying device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, a web being shown in association therewith in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, a front panel thereof and associated portions being removed to reveal internal construction.

FIG. 3 is a view in end elevation of the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, parts being broken away to reveal details of construction;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a drying assembly forming a part of the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, inclusive;

FIG. 5 is a view in front elevation of the drying assembly shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view in rear elevation of the drying assembly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 4, associated portions of the printing machine being shown in association with the drying assembly;

FIG. 8 is a view in section taken on the line 8--8 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a view in section taken on the line 9-9 in FIG. 7.

In the following detailed description and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1-3 inclusive is shown a label printing machine 10 which includes a stand 12 and frame plates 13, 14 and 15, which are mounted on the stand 12. A Web feeding roll 16 is mounted on the frame plate 15. A web 17 runs from the roll 16 to a central impression cylinder 18 around which the web passes. The web passes over guide rolls 19 and 20 on its way to the central impression cylinder and around appropriate exit guide rolls 21 and 22 after leaving the cylinder 18. The various rolls and the cylinder 18 are rotatably mounted in the frame plates. The printed web finally passes to a wind-up roll 23 (FIG. 1) where the printed web is collected. As the Web passes over the impression cylinder 18, it advances past a first printing station 24 (FIG. 2), a first drying station 26, a second printing station 27, a second drying station 28 and a third printing station 29. Details of construction of the first drying station and the first and second printing stations are shown in FIGS. 4-8 inclusive. The web reaches the first drying station after passing the first printing station. At the first printing station 24, an ink pick-up roll 31 runs in a trough 32 of ink 33. Ink from the pick-up roll 31 is transferred by an intermediate roll 34 to a printing roll 36 bearing appropriate indicia which is printed on the web. The various rolls and the cylinder 18 are driven by appropriate drive mechanism, not shown in detail, the impression cylinder 18 being driven in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 8.

When the first stage of printing has been accomplished by the printing roll 36, the web passes over a drying housing 38 at the first drying station where the ink on the web is dried previous to passing to a printing roll 39 at the second printing station 27. The drying housing 38 includes a channel-shaped body 41 having flanges 42 and 43 which approach closely to the web 17 on the cylinder 18 and a base 44. An angle frame 46 is attached to the base 44 with an upright flange 47 thereof extending upwardly from the base 44 parallel to and spaced between the flanges 42 and 43, as shown in FIG. 8. The upright flange 47 also approaches the web 17 on the impression cylinder but can be somewhat further spaced therefrom than the flanges 42 and 43 of the body 41. The upright flange 47 divides the interior of the body 41 into two channels 48 and 49, both extending transversely of the web 17. An electrical heating unit 51 is mounted in and extends substantially the length of the channel 48. The heating unit is supported on insulated fittings 52 and 53 mounted on the upright flange 47. Electric leads 54 and 56 for directing current to the heating unit 51, are located in the channel 49.

The right-hand end of the body 41 is closed by a generally angle-shaped closure member 57 (FIGS. 4 to 7 inclusive) which includes a horizontal main plate portion 58 and an upright end plate portion 59. A flange 61 (FIG. 7) on the underside of the end plate portion 59 underlies and is attached to the base 44 of the body 41 by a fastener 62. In addition, the main portion 58 can be attached to the flanges 42 and 43 by fasteners 62a. As shown in FIG. 7, a flange 63 on the main plate portion 58 extends downwardly adjacent the impression cylinder 18. A glass bullseye 64 mounted in the closure member 57 is illuminated by the heating unit 51 and indicates when the unit is hot. A fitting 66 mounted on the closure member 57 supports a cable 67 which is connected to the leads 54 and 56 and through which electric energy is supplied.

The inner end of the body 41 is supported on an angle bracket 71 mounted on the frame plate 13. A guide bracket 72 is attached to the frame plate 13 spaced above the angle bracket 71. A downwardly extending tongue 73, which is a part of the guide bracket 72 fits between the flanges 42 and 43 to center the body on the angle bracket 71. The tongue 73 is also closely spaced from the impression cylinder 18 as shown in FIG. 7. A downwardly extending flange 73' on the guide bracket 72 extends downwardly therefrom to adjacent the upper edge of the upright flange 47 of the body 41.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the body extends through an opening 74 in the frame plate 14 and is supported therein by a spring plate 75 which is attached to the base 44.

When the body 41 is in position as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the channel 49 communicates with an opening 76 in the frame plate 13. A conduit 77 communicates therewith. As shown in FIG. 3, the conduit 77 is connected to a blower 78 which draws air through the conduit 77 from the interior of the body 41.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the base 44 is cut away to form an opening 79 adjacent the frame plate 13 through which air enters the body 41 at the channel 48. The air travels along the channel 48 to the front end of the body 41 where the upright flange 47 is cut away at 81 to form a passageway between the channels. As the air is drawn along the channel 48, the air is heated by the heating unit 51, and in addition, radiant energy from the heating unit 51, heats ink on the web 17. As the air passes along the channel 49 back crosswise of the web a second time, the heated air completes the drying of the ink on the web carried by the impression cylinder. As the air is drawn crosswise of the web for the first time in the channel 48, the air is heated by the heating unit 51. Then, the heated air is drawn crosswise of the web a second time in the channel 49. The flanges 42 and 43 and the flange 63 and the tongue 73 form an enclosed space inside the body 41 surrounding the portion of the web 17 and the impression cylinder 18 at the first drying station 26. Then, the web passes to the second printing station 27 (FIG. 8) where the second stage of printing is effected. Ink is transported to the printing roll 39 from a source of ink 83 in a trough 84 by means of an ink pickup roll 86 and a transfer roll 87.

The ink drying device illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with an impression cylinder, means for directing a web to pass around a face of said cylinder, and means for printing said web, of an ink drying device which comprises a hollow body, spaced flanges on said body terminating adjacent and extending transversely of the web carrying face of the cylinder at a position subsequent to the printing means, means in said body adjacent opposite sides of said cylinder closing ends of said body whereby the body substantially encloses a the cylinder subsequent to the printing means, means in the body extending transversely of the web and dividing the body into two channels extending transversely of the web, means for providing communication between the channels at one side of the cylinder, means at the opposite side of the cylinder for permitting air to enter one of the channels and leave the other channel, an elongated heating rod in one of the channels parallel to, adjacent and spaced from the web carrying face, and means for driving air along the rod and along the channels back and forth crosswise of the web to dry ink thereon, the web being exposed to the heating rod so that ink on the web is heated thereby.

2. A combination as in claim 1 which includes a second means for printing the web as the web passes around the impression cylinder after passing the drying device.

3. A combination as in claim 1 in which the heating rod is located in the one of the channels through which the air passes first.

4. A combination as in claim 1 in which the means for driving air along the channels includes suction means connected to one of the channels.

5. An ink drying device for a printing press having an impression cylinder which comprises a hollow body, spaced flanges on said body, means for supporting the body with the flanges terminating adjacent and extending transversely of the cylinder, spaced means in said body spanning the flanges and adapted to close ends of said body adjacent opposite sides of the cylinder whereby the body substantially encloses a portion of periphery of the cylinder, means in the body extending transversely of the cylinder and dividing the body into two channels extending transversely of the cylinder, an elongated heating rod in one of said channels for extending parallel to, adjacent and spaced from the cylinder for heating air therein and for heating ink on a web carried by the cylinder, means for providing communication between the channels at one side of the cylinder, means at the oppoportion of periphery of site side of the cylinder for permitting air to enter and leave the body, and means for driving air along the channels back and forth crosswise of the web to dry ink thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 14,528 10/1918 Andrews 34-226 XR 1,867,256 7/1932 Egli 101-4161 2,022,593 11/1935 Fuykers l01---416.1 XR 2,242,995 5/1941 Ericksson 101-416 XR 2,268,987 1/1942 Hess et al 101-4161 3,078,592 2/1963 Coar 34-155 XR ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. I. REED FISHER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

